1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a waste disposal apparatus and, more particularly, to an apparatus particularly suited for the sanitary and odorless disposal of waste such as soiled diapers.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are a number of systems for disposing of waste materials such as soiled diapers. The systems are often touted as a convenient way to dispose of such waste materials and reduce or eliminate any odor that may emanate from the materials. An example of such systems is U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,055 which discloses a diaper container that includes an activated charcoal filter to retain and absorb orders within the container.
European patent application No. 0005660, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein, describes a device for disposing kitchen refuse in packages enclosed by flexible tubing derived from a tubular pack of tubing surrounding a tubular guide. The device includes a tube sealing mechanism. The tubing passes from the pack over the top of and then down the guide to a position beneath the guide where it has been closed by fusion to provide a receptacle within the guide means. When this receptacle is full of refuse, a lever is manually operated to actuate an electromechanical apparatus including clamping and fusion devices that travel round closed tracks to perform the four-fold task of drawing the receptacle down below the tubular guide, fusing the tubing walls together to seal the top of the receptacle, sealing the tubing walls together to provide the closed base of the next receptacle and dividing the tubing by heat at a location between these two fusion locations to separate the filled package. There are a number of disadvantages with this device including the need for latches to prevent the wheels extending from the heating elements from inadvertently returning up the central track portions (as opposed to following the outer track portions as they should. A further disadvantage is that the heating element must be at least the width of the tube in order to seal the tube all the way across thereby preventing, for example, the escape of odors from the waste.
Another device for use in disposing of diapers is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,370,847 to Jensen, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,516,588 to Jensen, et al., the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. The devices disclosed include tube sealing mechanisms. These related patents disclose a sealable diaper-disposal system that includes a container body 44, a tubular core 63 in which flexible tubing 62 is stored, and a pair of heating elements 76 and 78. The tubing 62 extends between two sealing members 76 and 78 that are operable to move toward each other to seal across the width of the tubing 62 and away from each other to allow the tubing 62 to be pushed into the lower portion of the container body 44. A disadvantage of the Jensen system is that the soiled diaper must be pushed into the device beyond the tubular core 63 and the separated sealing members 76 and 78 so the sealing members can seal the tubing 62 to form a closed package with diaper enclosed. A further disadvantage is that the heating elements 76 and 78 must be at least the width of the tubing 62 in order to seal the tubing all the way across.
Another popular approach to disposing of such diapers has been with a device using a tube twisting mechanism to form a pouch about the diaper. As an example, see the disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,869,049, 5,590,512, 5,813,200, the contents of all of which are incorporated by reference herein.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,200 discloses a device for disposing of soiled diapers in twisted packages. The device has a container body with a hinged base, a hinged lid, and an upward cylinder secured within the container body. A tubular core rests on a portion of the upward cylinder to allow rotation there between. A flexible tube or sleeve rests on a portion of the tubular core with the tubing being circumferentially pleated as stored. Springs are fixed to the container and project radially inward to engage a package formed from the tube. The springs are equally spaced around the interior of the container to hold the package during the forming of a twist in the tube.
The device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,200 is used to form a series of packages enclosing objects. The top of the flexible tubing is pulled upwards and tied into a knot. The closed end formed by the knot can then form the bottom of a package with the sidewalls formed by the tubing. The object is inserted and rests against the tubing near the knot. A rotatable interior lid is put into place and rotated such that the unused tubing and the tubular core rotate with respect to the package that is being formed. The package being formed does not rotate because it is held in place by friction between it and springs. Thus a package is formed between the knot and a first twist. Subsequently, objects are disposed and twisted in a like manner to form discrete packages with twists between them.
Devices such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,200 are a convenient way of disposing of soiled diapers. A disadvantage of the system is that the twists between packages may become unraveled, thereby allowing groups of diapers to collect within the tubing, which makes emptying the container more difficult. Further, the twists do not create a continuous, complete seal and, therefore, may allow odor to escape from a package. Increasing the twists between packages may eliminate the above disadvantages, however, this requires the use of additional tubing.
From the above it can be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art that there are a number of disadvantages associated with prior art waste disposal devices using flexible tubing to form packets for disposal of waste materials. It is clear that a device is needed that will eliminate the disadvantages described above. Such a device should be relatively economical to purchase and operate, ensure that the seals between packets are complete and cannot come undone, and be easy to operate.